Last but not least, we must mention the option of reciprocal memberships for seeing the amazing natural wonders of the USA. It means that I paid for 3 tickets to the museum when I could have gotten in for FREE! Discounts at zoos and aquariums -AZA Association of Zoos & Aquariums (https://www.aza.org), Half price at Childrens Museums ACM Association of Childrens Museums (http://www.childrensmuseums.org). As members, we receive reciprocity at AZA and ASTC (over 500 museums and zoos nation-wide and countless places world-wide.). Save 47% on Admission Visit Dallas for less Save 47% on admission to the top 4 Dallas attractions, including Perot Museum. USA. We saw some really amazing museums with that pass and passed many a rainy day. Can I receive Passport Program benefits at my local science center or museum if I purchase a membership at a participating science center or museum out of state? If you are unsure if you are eligible for Passport Program benefits, contact the participating science center or museum you wish to visit to verify your eligibility. Review that science center or museums family admittance policy. Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user's experience more efficient. They wouldnt be much of a benefit if you stay in one place, but they have provided us with a way to go to so many different places and it only costs us the gas to get there. But the good news is that sometimes there are exceptions. Your email address will not be published. Of course, a little bit of fun for the sake of fun never hurt anybody. Please visit www.astc.org/passport for a list of participating venues. Contact your local science center or museum for more information regarding other reciprocal admission programs in your area. If you have older kids that may be the better option for you. Totally worth it. [CDATA[ (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//forms.aweber.com/form/97/1032023597.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, "script", "aweber-wjs-9fl4orvz7")); // ]]> There is also a less expensive option to purchase a membership without the ACM (Childrens Musuems) included in it. Google Universal Analytics long-time unique user tracking identifier. Now, as Julie Andrews playing Frulein Mariafamously sang inThe Sound of Music, Lets start at the very beginning. Each participating science center or museum has its own admissions policy stating how many visitors are eligible for Passport Program benefits. Of course, thats not always the easiest thing to do when you have small children! Thanks for your recommendations! If you are a member of a science center or museum participating in the ASTC Passport Program, you are eligible for benefits such as free general admission when you travel outside of your local area. Participation includes possible exposure to and illness from infectious diseases including but not limited to COVID-19. Unfortunately, no. Analytics cookies help website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting information anonymously. Admission is free and we definitely get our moneys worth! We are so glad to hear that the post is helpful! DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. How can I receive Passport Program benefits at a science center or museum? Please contact the participating science center or museum you wish to visit for more information. Check out this great list of the Best Museums For Kids In The US all of these may not be on the reciprocal program as it is always changing so be sure to check the website before you go. Its not that they are encouraging you TO travel. Special programs and events are excluded. I further hereby AGREE TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS the RELEASEES from any loss, liability, damage or costs, including court cost and attorney's fees, that they may incur due to my participation in said activity, WHETHER CAUSED BY OR CONTRIBUTED TO IN WHOLE OR PART by any action or failure to act, negligence, breach of contract, or other misconduct on the part of RELEASEES or otherwise. The Providence Childrens Museum is also part of the ASTC. What is the ASTC Travel Passport Program? How often is the list of participants updated? It is my express intent that this Release and Hold Harmless Agreement shall bind the members of my family and spouse, if I am alive, and my heirs, assigns and personal representative, if I am deceased, and shall be deemed as a RELEASE, WAIVER, DISCHARGE AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE the above named RELEASEES. Many museums, especially childrens museums, offer membership levels that include reciprocity with other museums. Bryanna is passionated about sharing family travel to help others get out and travel more with their kids! Childrens Museums http://www.childrensmuseums.org/family-reciprocal-membership.html. These programs are completely separate, although many museums in our state belong to both organizations. The Cernan Earth and Space Center at Triton College offers free planetarium admission for up to four members of the same family membership to the ASTC. The San Diego Natural History Museum allows two adults and children under eighteen to spend the day exploring. Preference cookies enable a website to remember information that changes the way the website behaves or looks, like your preferred language or the region that you are in. The intention is to display ads that are relevant and engaging for the individual user and thereby more valuable for publishers and third party advertisers. Google Universal Analytics long-time unique user tracking identifier. You see, Im a member of a museum in Connecticut that is part of the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC). from Unlike Costco, though, BJ's accepts . Its that they are encouraging you to visit other childrens museums when or if you travel. Enjoy 12 months of these incredible benefits: Free or reduced admission to more than 350 ASTC Passport Program science and technology centers and museums; 50% off general admission for up to six guests at 200 children's museums with the ACM Reciprocal Network; Free admission to 1,000+ museums, botanical gardens, and zoos with North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association However there are some restrictions for the ASTC one about it not working within 90 miles of your home address either I havent tested this yet but may be worth making some phone calls if this impacts you. Yes! Copyright 2020 Fulltime Families, LLC. Add a named caregiver. What happens if I forget my membership card? Got any Momsense for us as we consider all this information? Our entire family of 7 got in free. Chicago, Its always a good idea to call before visiting any location. We paid for our annual membership online to the Baton Rouge zoo in Louisiana for $59. What is the difference between the ACM and the ASTC? I consent to the use of following cookies: Necessary cookies help make a website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website. There is no universal database with all Passport Program visitors member data and expiration dates for admission staff to reference. 4:00 You will have admittance to the Extreme Mount Washington Museum in the Mt. Hi Ladies! We got our ACM membership in San Diego, which was one of the more expensive childrens museums, but we were just learning and we still got our moneys worth. If we bought our membership from the Living Desert zoo that we were visiting it would have cost us $130 for the year and all other zoos would be half off, none would have been free. Most of the museum/zoo/garden reciprocal benefits are good for up to 6 people. If someone like mesomeone who spends a good chunk of her free and waking hours researching and writing about things to do with kidscould make this mistake, then I am probably not alone. Marketing cookies are used to track visitors across websites. How can I get a membership card? This link has a list of all the participating museums and science centers. Add one additional adult who can check in all year for just $25. Privacy Policy. Then we got into the Living Desert Zoo for an additional $50 which was the half price discount. Thanks for this posting about reciprocal programs. The ACM Reciprocal Network offers 50% off admission for up to six (6) people to participating museums. Can I receive Passport Program benefits at my local science center or museum if I purchase a membership at a participating science center or museum out of state? Visit www.astc.org/passport for a list of participating venues. Unclassified cookies are cookies that we are in the process of classifying, together with the providers of individual cookies. They did not require residency, are part of both programs and are more than 90 miles away. In this article, we are going to do our best to help you understand what each reciprocal program offers, and the best ways to go about joining these programs. BIG mistake. We at Fulltime Families seek to provide community, information, tips, support, and discounts for full-time RV living and traveling families. Google Universal Analytics long-time unique user tracking identifier. However, we too have run into difficulties at the Childrens Museum in West Hartford in their honoring reciprocity or made it very difficult holding up the line on multiple occasions. Reach out! Memberships to natural parkssuch as our countrys national parksare some of the very best investments a roadschooling family could make. Join / Member Benefits. ), but not Boston Childrens. Looking for a place to camp? SmithsonianFree admission into more than 50 Smithsonian Affiliate museums and educational organizations. + $25 per additional adult Here I am writing a blog filled with insider tips for getting out with your kids, and I made a doozy of a mistake! The list of participants is updated twice a year. This article may contain compensated links, please read our disclaimer for more information. To learn more read, below. Hi Adrienne! Members can get two adults and their children under seventeen for free. If you aren't close to Ohio I don't think it will impact you much. Sign up with your email address to receive our latest outing ideas and updates. Association of Children's Museums (ACM) Perfect for parents of younger kids, ACM encompasses a large number of children's museums. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. free or reduced admission to other museums that are also members of these organizations). They are a blast for kids under 10, but even our older kids love them. MOSI in Tampa and the Orlando Science Center were both really cool! Roger Williams Park Zoo in RI is a favorite as is the Ecotarium in Worcester. Members can also receive dollar-off access to see the OMNIMAX theater and special exhibits that are there. It is basically a big play area for kids, usually with different themed play areas. Adult $17.00 (Ages 18+) Senior $15.00 (Ages 65+) Youth $14.00 (Ages 2-17) Toddlers Free (Under 2) Educator $15.00 College Student $15.00 Military $15.00 (Active Duty and Veteran) NARM Member* Free ASTC Member** Free *MOSAC extends NARM reciprocal admission to applicable members of institutions that are outside of a 15-mile radius of MOSAC. Our family drives from the Chicago area all the way to southern California, and the come back through Phoenix/Tucson. Admissions staff reserve the right to request proof of residence for benefits to apply. The Passport Program is a travel benefit included in membership at your local participating science center or museum. A list of those museums can be found here: https://findachildrensmuseum.org/reciprocal-network/ Who can I take with me for free? There are four categories of ASTC membership for organizations. However, it does not include 3-D films, and if you want to watch those, it does cost $5 per person. These are memberships that you buy from one place and can use at many. Before traveling we had no idea about these reciprocals. The current annual price of the Montana membership is $60. You were my first inspiration to this fulltime lifestyle and I still come back to your site for info all the time! For a reduced rate of $5.00 each as long as one person is listed on the membership card. ASTC- Association of Science-Technology Centers This membership gets you into about 300 science centers and museums for free. Here are our best tips. How do I know if my primary museum participates in one or both of these programs? Beyond the free memberships, there is plenty for other organizations and businesses to partner with sponsorship and matching gifts. Family Membership. The museum you are visiting has to be more than 90 miles from your home address. Pack your membership card. Best of all, membership is a great value. 4:00 + $14 per additional child. 2020 Association of Science and Technology CentersSite map | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy. Make sure you look for the acronyms ACM or ASTC or the word reciprocal when checking out the different levels of membership. Premium Membership Family of up to six - 2 adults maximum (within same household): $120 Additional children: $10 each Free Admission to the museum for a year 10% discount to the Museum Store Free or Reduced Admission to more than 350 science museums in 16 countries worldwide Worth noting that ASTC museums employ the 90 mile rule, so if you buy the least expensive one in the country the reciprocity won't work at museums within 90 miles of that museum, and it won't work at museums within 90 miles of the address on your license. The Passport Program provides free general admission to eligible visitors. Those who want ASTC only should purchase the family membership offered through EAA. Washington State Park, but it does not include weather station tours. Unfortunately, ACM only gives members a 50% discount as opposed to the full 100% off. Thats where these awesome amusement park reciprocal memberships come in to play. Membership. The intention is to display ads that are relevant and engaging for the individual user and thereby more valuable for publishers and third party advertisers. Add-ons are available for purchase in person at OSC, or by calling 407.514.2158. At our first stop we had already saved money. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Some cookies are placed by third party services that appear on our pages. You must become a member of a participating science center or museum in order to be eligible for Passport Program benefits. By making membership programs with awesome perks! And we also got Boonshoft. Please check with the museum that you would like to purchase a membership to and/or the museum that you plan to visit to make sure they are still participating in the reciprocal membership program. Here are two of the biggest differences to consider: The BJ's Inner Circle Membership is similarly priced to Costco's Gold Star Membership at $55 a year. How much does the Passport Program cost? Science centers and museums located within 90 miles* of the vi sitor's residence. Founded in 1973, ASTC represents more than 600 members in nearly 50 countries worldwide, of which more than 350 participate in the ASTC Travel Passport Program. Venues requesting proof of residence are marked by ( IDs) on the Passport Program participants' list. You will need a photo ID and proof of membership. As an MSI member, you may take advantage of the ASTC Travel Passport Program that allows you to visit museums across the U.S. and around the world for free or discounted admission. Thanks for sharing your experience, Susan! MSI belongs to the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC), a global organization of science centers and museums. Thats a wonderful idea! Do I receive a discount to the museum store? A very good place to start.. Membership Visit an ASTC Passport Program venue today! Please comment with your valuable reciprocal membership info below to help other Fulltime Families keep their travel affordable and educational. Please select the event you are attending.